Chorus:

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song

It takes a worried man to sing a worried song

I'm worried now, but I won't be worried long

I went across the river and I laid down to sleep

I went across the river and I laid down to sleep

I went across the river and I laid down to sleep

When I woke up, I had shackles on my feet

Twenty-one links of chain around my leg

Twenty-one links of chain around my leg

Twenty-one links of chain around my leg

And on each link, is initial of my name

Chorus

I asked that judge, what's gonna be my fine

I asked the judge, tell me, what's gonna be my fine

I asked the judge, tell me, what's gonna be my fine

Twenty one years on the Rocky Mountain Line

Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime

Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime

Twenty-one years to pay my awful crime

Twenty-one years and I still got ninety-nine

Chorus

If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"

If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"

If anybody ask you, "Well who made up this song?"

Tell 'em t'was me and I done been here and gone

Chorus